Kate Middleton and Prince William"s Sandringham home to have privacy protecting trees and rooms for police

Trees protecting their privacy and new rooms for police: Plans unveiled for Kate and William's future Sandringham homeWill have a pergola and shrubbery to shield their homeNorfolk mansion will have extensive changesSprawling property will be used by royal couple and their growing family

By
Anna Edwards

PUBLISHED:

11:12 GMT, 2 April 2013

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UPDATED:

17:16 GMT, 2 April 2013

As Prince William and Kate Middleton prepare for the birth of their first child, the royal couple have made a host of changes to the Norfolk mansion that is expected to be their new home.

Royal officials submitted a secret planning application for substantial changes at the Grade II listed Anmer Hall, which the Queen is reportedly planning to gift to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council have approved plans to transform the home on Her Majesty's private Sandringham Estate.

Plans: Anmer Hall will have a raft of changes to accommodate the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their growing family, including a new 16ft x 16ft garden room and the planting of trees and shrubs

The Royal couple will have more privacy once changes have been made to their charming country house

The application, which was described as a 'major development' in council papers, also involves converting a wood store into accommodation – which could be used for police guarding the couple – and extending an existing garage block to form an equipment room.

Privacy is clearly a requirement for the couple and their growing family, as officials plan to install a pergola over a patio and plants trees and shrubs on an old driveway to shield the Royal's home, the Daily Telegraph reported.

A public gate to a church will become private, and a new 16ft squared garden room will be attached to the kitchen, giving the young couple gorgeous views of the land.

Nearby St Mary's Church, whose public entrance will now be cut off and parishioners will have to use a new road to access it, could see a new car park being paid for by the monarchy.

The late-Georgian country house is just two miles east of the Queen’s Sandringham House, where the Royals celebrate Christmas.

Prince William and Kate Middleton will live just two miles from where the Royal Family celebrate Christmas

The Queen has gifted the couple a stunning mansion

However, it was also one of the country houses where Charles and Camilla used to enjoy secret trysts, when the Prince of Wales’s friend Hugh van Cutsem rented the property.

The Duke spent many of his childhood holidays exploring the ten-bedroom Grade II-listed property and its grounds, which have been part of the Sandringham estate since 1898, and is said to have fond memories of it, despite the bitter knowledge of his father's affair.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, currently living in a rented farmhouse on Anglesey, are also waiting for renovation work on their London home in Kensington Palace to be completed.

When they are not on Anglesey, they live at Nottingham Cottage, in the grounds of Kensington Palace in West London, which has just one bedroom and has been described as 'cosy'.

However, later this year they will move into the newly renovated Apartment 1A inside the palace itself, which was Princess Margaret’s home, while Prince Harry will have the cottage.

The new apartment will suit the couple’s growing family, as it boasts five bedrooms and three reception rooms.

Renovation work is being paid for out of the public purse, although the Royal family is covering the cost of the interior design.